Poetical fragments heart-employment with God and it selfPoetical fragments heart-imployment with God and it self

Fear is to Love, as was the Law to Grace: And as John Baptist goes before Christ's face, Preaching Repentance: it prepares his way: It is the first appearing of the Day: The dawning Light which comes before the Sun: As he that to Christ's Sepulchre first run, Excites the LOVED Disciple to do better; The certain news of Life comes by the later. Fear is Love's Harbinger: It is the womb, Where Love doth breed till time of ripeness come! No wonder if it be not seen till then: The Seed and Embryo are hid from men. Though Thou comest in by Love, Fear draws the latch: Fear makes the motion, tho Love makes the match: Fear is the soil that cherisheth the feed; The Nursery in which Heavens Plants do breed. God first in Nature finds Self-Love, and there He takes advantage to implant his Fear. ⟨p. 22⟩With some the time is long before the Earth Disclose her young one by a springy Birth: When Heaven doth make our Winter sharp & long, The seed of Love lies hid, or seems but young: But when God makes it Spring-time, his approach Takes from the barren Soul its great reproach; When Heavens reviving Smiles and Rays appear, Then Love begins to spring up above Fear: And if sin hinder not by cursed shade, It quickly shoots up to a youthful blade: And when Heavens warmer beams & dews succeed, That's ripened fruit which even now was but seed: Yet doth not flowering, fruitful Love forget Her Nursing Fear; there still her Root is set: In Humble Self-denial under-trod, While Flower and Fruit are growing up to God After Love's Birth-Day, holy Fear and Care The outward Part of the New-creature are. As mortal man consists of Flesh and Soul, So Fear and Love, on Earth, do make one Whole. Love, as the Soul, unseen, yet bears the sway: Fear, as the Flesh, more felt, must it obey. By Fear, Love doth the daring Flesh restrain, And keepeth men awake by threatened pain. This frame is mortal: Not that Love can dye; But leaving Fears, will dwell alone on high: Yet will retain a Reverent Fear of God; But not the terror of his Wrath or Rod. O my Dear God! how precious is thy Love? How wise thy Methods to the Life above? ⟨p. 23⟩Thou first appearedst in Lightning, as to Paul: My heat abated, at thy feet I fall. The voice with which thy Call thou didst begin, Was to convince me, and reprove my sin: I first enquired of thee, who thou art? And then, what duty thou hadst made my part? Thus Fear and Care began;